OK - I don't want to be rude, but this is the deal: this is a perfect recipe, and if it fails for you, it's your fault, not the recipe's. A couple of things you should know about cheesecakes:
OVERBEATING WILL CAUSE A CHEESECAKE TO CRACK. Beat cream cheese with sugar only until smooth. Proceed with a wooden spoon for the rest of the recipe.
OVERBEATING WILL CAUSE A CHEESECAKE TO HAVE THE "WRONG" TEXTURE. Air bubbles, gritty/not creamy texture, etc., are fixed my the same instructions above.
OVERCOOKING WILL CAUSE A CHEESECAKE TO CRACK. Do NOT cook this cheesecake until it's set. Matter of fact, don't check it at all. Put the cheesecake in the oven, set the timer to 60 min., turn the oven off, and forget it. I mean it! Don't open the oven, just leave it alone to do its thing.
And that's it. A beautiful cheesecake. Far from bland: this is a PURIST'S cheesecake. It's great as is, but also a great foil for other flavours. I serve mine with passionfruit pulp or mango puree.

Reviewer:

I would like to update my review on this cheesecake. I originally gave it a five and still give it a five. I have made this cheesecake many times; sometimes it cracks sometimes it doesn't. Finally I read that if you grease the sides of your pan, it will not crack, since cracking often happens in the cooling process as the cake pulls away from the sides. Since I began greasing the sides,I have not had a cracked cheesecake. People who like the NY style of cheesecake love this recipe.

Reviewer:

I've made cheesecakes many times, only to have them crack and sink after cooling. With the tips that I picked up on allrecipes.com, Chantal's New York Cheesecake was a hit with my family & friends. After cooling, the top remained level and the center firmed up. The top was a beautiful golden brown with no dry edges. The inside was creamy and smooth, and not too sweet.
The tips are as follows:
1. Make sure that your ingredients are around room temperature, not cold, otherwise your batter will be lumpy.
2. Wrap your springform pan with 2 layers of aluminum foil to prevent water in the bain marie (water bath) from seeping in.
3. Place your springform pan in a water bath in the oven, filled with 1 inch of very hot water, then proceed to bake as instructed in the recipe.
4. Right after baking, run a warm or greased knife around the rim of the cake to prevent cracking while cooling.
5. Leave the cake in the oven for 2 hours to cool. (I didn't have time to leave it in for the recommended 6 hrs, and it still works.)
I'll make variations of this cheesecake, such as blueberry topping, oreo base and filling etc.
ENJOY!

Reviewer:

AMAZING! The KING of all cheesecakes! This is the recipe you are looking for, Thick and Creamy! Ive made this 2X now with tremendous sucess. However, I found this crust to need some work, so this is the recipe I use: 1 1 /2 c. graham cracker crumbs, 1/2 c. white sugar, 1/4 c. finely chopped Unsalted nuts (walnuts, pecans), 1/4 c. melted butter, 1 tsp. cinnamon and a 1/4 tsp. nutmeg. Mix together and press into 9" springform pan. As for the cheesecake mixture, make Sure to start with room temp. ingredients, use a mixer to beat cream cheese and sugar, then hand-mix from there on. Feel free to add chocolate chips, toffee bits, etc. to the mixture before transferring into graham cracker crust. Use a water bath, (See Cheesecake section under Cooking Basics on this site) with the pan double wrapped in foil. When cheesecake is done, turn oven off, run knife around edge of the cake to completely loosen from the pan. Close oven door, leave in for 3+ hours, until completely cool. Refrigerate overnight. I make a homemade raspberry topping, as follows: 1 10oz. pkg frozen raspb., 2 tblsp. white sugar, 2 tsp. cornstarch & 1/2 c. water. In med. saucepan, mix sugar & corn starch well. Add water & bring to a boil. Add raspberries & boil for 5 minutes, or until thick. If you wish, strain the hot mixture to remove seeds. Place in refrigerator to completely cool. Place 1-2 tablespoons over chilled cheesecake, top with a curl of white chocolate. Award Winning!

Reviewer:

I have been working with this recipe for a couple of years now. Yesterday, one of my co-workers and I had a cheesecake cook-off. Everyone RAVED about my cheesecake and I felt bad for the other guy. His was made with Cool-Whip and took 20-30 minutes to make. Mine was Chantal's (with modifications) and took me 16 hours from start to serve (including chilling).
I have been adjusting this recipe to get the perfect weight, density, and creaminess (to MY tastes) and I THINK I've got it! (By George, I think she's got it!) I like a HEAVY New York-Style Cheesecake that's not TOO cakey (translation: DRY!). So here is what I've come up with:
I use 2 TBSP. flour instead of 1/4 cup AND use a water bath.
I baked it at 225 degrees for 3 hours and 40 minutes (I KNOW that sounds like a LONG time, but remember, I've been working on this for a couple of years - OK.......not consistantly, but whenever I feel like making a cheesecake. I make myself notes on the back of the recipe.) After it has baked 3 hours and 40 minutes, I turn off the oven and crack the oven door for a few minutes to get it to cool down more quickly. I leave the cheesecake in the oven for 6 hours and then put it in the refrigerator until WELL chilled (about 6 more hours).
(More on next post)

Reviewer:

Was a big hit at my husband's office! Mine didn't crack, but I was careful not to overmix and had the cream cheese at room temperature, and these are supposed to help prevent cracking. I also used a water bath, and I made sure that the side of the springform pan, not just the bottom, was well greased. (I read in a magazine that cheesecakes shrink from the sides of the pan as they cool, and if the side isn't well greased, the cheesecake will stick and, thus, crack.) Per previous reviewers, I baked it at 325 deg. and made the crust as follows: 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs, 1/4 cup melted butter, 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon, and 1/4 cup sugar. I substituted Bailey's Irish Cream for the milk. I had a can of cherry pie filling available for those who wanted a topping. A picture-perfect cheesecake!

Reviewer:

I found this recipe a few years ago, and have been making it ever since. I have changed a few things according to my taste. I bake mine in a water bath, and that helps to keep it more moist, and also to avoid cracking. Make sure you put it into boiling water instead of cold. Also, put your cheesecake in an oven bag before you put it into the water bath. Wrapping the pan in tin
foil just doesn't seem to keep the water away from the crust. I also don't even add the flour. It allows the cake to be less like cake, and it makes it so creamy and rich. I also double the butter in the crust, and I add the whites of one egg. This allows it to hold together better, so it's a lot less crumbly. Lastly, I don't let mine sit in the oven for 5 to 6 hours, who has the time? I put mine straight into the fridge. It seems to turn out just as well. Good luck! :)

Reviewer:

Recipe turned out great! I didn't have a pan big enough to put my 9-inch springform pan in for a water bath, so I just put it on a rack and put a pan of water underneath it. It was steamy enough to produce a perfectly uncracked cake (325F for 1 hr). At end of baking, unlike what it says in the cheesecake tips in the reference section, cake was completely SOLID, WITHOUT a "3-inch circle" that was still un-set. Cake texture still turned out PERFECT, so don't worry if there isn't a wobbly center after baking.
I used "Baker's Secret Pie Crust" (bake crust for 15 mins, not 10) instead of the grahan cracker crust, and made a sour cream topping for a professional touch (1 cup sour cream, 2 tablespoons white sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Combine and spread evenly after cheesecake has baked and cooled for 10 mins. Bake at 325F for 10 mins to set. Spread EVENLY, as the sour cream will not melt; it will only set, so any imperfection before you put it in the oven will show after baking. Leave in oven to cool for 6 hrs. chill and serve!).
You might want to decrease the amount of milk to 1/2 cup for a denser cake, although do so with caution. My version as outlined above makes a 5lb cheesecake, which is about 1 1/2 inches high using a 9-inch springform pan. Everyone who tasted my cheesecake said it was as good as the famed cheesecake of a local 5-star hotel, whose cheesecake is widely regarded as the best cheesecake in the city! (my homecity has over 7 million inhabitants, s

Reviewer:

Amazing cheesecake! 5 stars! People don't realize that *Cracking* comes from overmixing a cheesecake or having too many air bubbles- as well as rapid cooling.
The method of cooling this cheesecake WILL prevent cracking- if you don't overmix it. Follow the recipe exactly, and it will turn out awesome.

Reviewer:

Definitely worthy of 5 stars!!! I make cheesecakes often, and my husband prefers basic "no frills" NY cheesecakes the best (with canned cherry topping). I used reviewer NYGirl5's suggestion and made a shortbread cookie crust with lemon zest (to switch it out a bit). I reduced to 2 tbsp. of flour for a creamier texture. For a flawless, no crack or browned cheesecake, it is best to bake it in a water bath on the middle shelf of the oven. Cover bottom and sides of cheesecake pan with foil (to prevent water from seeping in) and set in larger roasting pan. Pour boiling water in roasting pan so that it reaches approx. halfway up cheesecake pan. I never ever get cracks, and my cheesecake never browns. Also, it is important to bring cream cheese to room temp., so you don't end up overbeating the filling (which causes cracks and bubbles). I only left it in the oven for 1 hour after I stopped baking. Let it cool properly before putting it in refrigerator or you will end up with condensation on top. Great recipe-I will definitely be making this again. Thank you, Chantal!